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8 Natural Energy Boosters You Haven’t Tried Yet
August 10, 2022
Walk into any health store or market, and you will likely find innumerable supplements, beverages, and products that claim to boost your energy and help you energize naturally.
While some of these products might be useful in helping support your natural energy production throughout the day, it’s important that you are as informed as possible, especially when it comes to supporting your body's energy levels.
Whether it’s prioritizing getting more sleep, hydrating with our wide range of intravenous fluid therapies, or re-orienting your diet towards whole foods, you can energize naturally.
Keep reading for everything you want to know about these eight natural energy boosters you haven’t tried yet.
#1 Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate
Before we go any further, let’s lay down one of the most important rules for supporting your body’s energy: hydration. If you aren’t hydrating, your body is going to feel the effects of dehydration which include fatigue, dry mouth, tiredness, dizziness, and decreased urination.
All bodies need water to function, but everybody is different. Many factors determine how much water you should be drinking, including where you live (for example, people in hotter climates generally need more water). There are other factors too, like how regularly you exercise or if you’re feeling under the weather.
On average, however, aiming for around 64 oz (8 cups) of water per day is a good goal to stay hydrated.
Pro Tip: If water starts to get a little boring, you can also opt for a cup or two of iced green tea as a midday pick-me-up. Green tea has many health benefits beyond its energy boost. It can even promote healthy brain function, balanced blood pressure, and long-term well-being thanks to its antioxidant properties.
Boost Your Body With Intravenous Hydration
If you’re looking to take your commitment to hydration to the next level or are recovering from a virus, long travel days, or food poisoning, The I.V. Doc has your back. We offer a range of intravenous fluid hydration treatments that are delivered to you in the comfort of your home, office, or hotel room.
Our popular Detox intravenous therapy comes with 1000ml lactated ringers with your choice of an anti-nausea, anti-heartburn, or anti-inflammatory medication. Delivered to you in the privacy of your space by a nurse from our team of medical professionals, you could be feeling better in less than an hour.
Sometimes your body needs an extra boost to help restore balance, and our Detox therapy provides a quick and effective energy boost.
#2 Exercise Regularly (Or Try Switching Up Your Exercise Routine)
Now that we’ve solidified that hydration is one of the best ways to naturally boost your energy, it’s time to build on that foundation. Getting exercise regularly is one of the best ways to maintain your body’s natural functions while boosting your energy.
On days when you aren’t moving much or are working all day behind a desk, you might notice yourself yawning more, feeling sluggish and tired, and experiencing a shift in your appetite. Our bodies are meant to move, and our body relies on movement to support their natural functioning.
Whether you are a frequent gym-goer, enjoy long walks after dinner, or commute to work on your bike, prioritizing exercise throughout your day is one of the best ways to boost your energy levels naturally.
Not only that, but when you exercise, you help regulate a lot of the other processes in your body including your sleep and eating schedule, as well as your digestive system.
#3 Balance Your Sleep Schedule
While this may seem obvious, sleep is critical for boosting your energy levels naturally. And yet, it’s not just about getting enough sleep — it’s about your sleep quality, being mindful about how much sleep you really need, and sticking to a routine that works.
Our #2 tip, getting regular exercise, can contribute to helping support good sleep habits. Moderate aerobic exercise during the day can help support slow wave or deep sleep that your body relies on to help reset itself during the nighttime to set you up for success the following day.
If you struggle to get enough sleep at night consider using blackout curtains for a darker sleep environment. Try listening to soothing music before bed and put your smartphone away an hour before bedtime. A sleep supplement like melatonin can potentially help you doze off, too, though some people don’t like the daytime drowsiness many sleep aids can cause.
If you experience insomnia, you may have to consult your team of medical professionals to discuss what options might be available to support your sleep habits.
If you are suffering from a poor night’s sleep due to jet lag, a hangover, or a sickness, consider The I.V. Doc’s Refresh treatment, which hydrates you with intravenous fluids and two medications of your choosing.
#4 Center Yourself and Your Diet
You are what you eat and what you eat is your body’s main energy source. If you put lots of sugar, salt, and processed foods into your body, it’s unlikely you will be energized, feel satiated, and nourished throughout the day.
However, building a balanced diet around whole fruits, leafy greens, whole grains, and healthy fats can provide energy-boosting nutrients. Some great food options are sweet potatoes, brown rice, and chia seeds.
Specific nutrients in energy-boosting foods often include magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, potassium, glucose, amino acids, as well as vitamins like vitamin B12, vitamin D, and vitamin C.
Consider evaluating what your eating habits are throughout the day – do you skip breakfast? Do you find yourself eating the majority of your meals in the late afternoon and evening? Do you tend to reach for comfort foods instead of something more nourishing that will keep you fuller, longer?
Once you have clarity around the ways that you eat, you can create some goals to work towards with your energy levels – and how your eating habits might help you move towards those goals.
Being mindful of whether you are overeating or undereating is a good first step to figuring out where you might need to establish some balance.
Between meals, keep hydrating. Begin and end your days with a glass of water. Drinking water once you wake up will help energize you naturally. Ending your day with water will help ensure that you don’t get dehydrated throughout the evening, and will also wake you up naturally in the morning!
#5 Be Mindful of Managing Stress
How does stress have to do with natural energy boosters? Well, when you’ve been stressed, how many times have you reached for another cup of coffee, energy drink, or something to “get you through” those stressful moments?
More often than not, stress can be one of the biggest contributing factors that cause less mindful eating, a lack of exercise, and poor sleeping habits.
When we feel overwhelmed, it’s easy to reach for comfort food, stay up later than we can afford, or skip out on exercise because there isn’t “enough time.” And yet, in those moments of busy work weeks, stressful weekends, or jam-packed days that never seem to end, it’s critical that you find time to prioritize your mental and physical health.
Stress can contribute to a variety of mental health factors that, in turn, can inhibit your ability to stay naturally energized throughout the day. Emotional stress can result in increased anxiety, depression, and interrupted sleeping habits, which can impact your work and personal life.
Keeping a schedule with appointments, and prioritizing time for yourself each day to get centered, exercise, practice mindful eating, and connect with those activities that help nourish your soul, can all support your energy levels throughout the day.
Being mindful of managing your stress can help bring into awareness the stressors in your life, which can help you manage them better moving forward.
#6 Smoker? Consider Finding an Alternative to Nicotine
If you’re not a smoker, this section may not apply directly to you but can be helpful in addressing some of the issues caused by nicotine. Nicotine can seriously impact your natural energy levels. It can contribute to issues like sleeplessness, decreased appetite, elevated heart rate, and a weakened immune system.
Nicotine can contribute to interrupted sleep patterns since it’s a stimulant, which increases feelings of wakefulness in spite of your body actually needing sleep.
If you smoke, vape, or consume nicotine in any way, consider finding alternatives or ways to remove that habit from your lifestyle. It can contribute to supporting your overall health and wellness and bring mindful awareness to what you put into your body.
#7 Be Mindful About Alcohol Intake
Another substance to be mindful of is alcohol. When considering ways to naturally boost your energy, it’s helpful to look at your habits surrounding drinking. Think about how many nights a week you are going out with friends, how much alcohol you’re drinking in a sitting, and whether you’re experiencing hangovers a bit too frequently.
While there’s nothing wrong with enjoying a few drinks with friends, it’s important to take care of ourselves in-between drinks. Hangovers are too easily achieved if you start drinking on an empty stomach.
This is also the case if you aren’t hydrating in-between drinks, or if you are drinking too much per hour. A hangover is anything but enjoyable, and at The I.V. Doc, we know just how debilitating they can be after a night out with friends.
Our hangover treatments can help revive you, from the worst hangovers to jet-lag-induced sleeplessness. We want to continue to support you as you pursue the healthiest version of you.
Consider how much alcohol you are consuming and how your body reacts. Alcohol can contribute to impacted sleep schedules, dehydration, fatigue, dizziness, and irritability. These factors are not going to support your energy levels.
#8 Don’t Give Into the Sweets Cravings
It might not seem like it, but sugar can really crush your natural energy. Foods that are high in sugars can cause a spike in your blood sugar levels, which end up having the reverse effect than you might anticipate.
Though sugar might give you a short-term boost, it doesn’t offer sustainable, nourishing energy in the long-term.
If you’re looking for something sweet, reach for fruit or food with natural sugars instead of a product with added or processed sugar. Additionally, if you’re craving a sweet drink, be mindful of sugar-free options as well, since they include added chemicals.
Next time you’re reaching for something sweet, consider an apple or other low-glycemic fruit, a tea with functional ingredients, or dark chocolate.
Prioritizing food that will keep you nourished, over foods that will satisfy a craving, will help you build sustainable energy throughout your day. Be mindful of added sugars where you least expect them, like in cereals, protein bars, and pre-packaged meals. Opt for preparing your own food instead of eating out, when you can.
The Bottom Line
There are lots of ways to increase your energy throughout the day, with as many unhealthy options as there are natural ones. Go into any market, gas station, or corner store, and you’ll find supplements, beverages, and foods claiming to have hundreds of milligrams of caffeine that will “boost” your performance.
While there are some natural supplements and foods that are naturally-occurring in caffeine, many of these supplements and drinks will offer only short-term fixes for longer-term issues. Blasting your body with caffeine is likely to lead to a crash rather than sustainable energy throughout your day.
If you want to boost your energy naturally, it’s all about re-orienting those habits that aren’t geared towards sustainable energy and transforming them into natural energy boosters. Stay hydrated, get exercise, be mindful of your eating and sleeping habits, and build an understanding of how all of your habits are interconnected.
When you feel depleted, get in touch with The I.V. Doc, and we’ll support you in the privacy of your home for your wellness. From jet lag and hangovers to boosting athletic performance and supporting your whole health, we’ve got your health needs covered.
Sources:
How Much Water Should You Drink a Day | University Hospitals
Natural Sleep Aids: Home Remedies to Help You Sleep | Johns Hopkins Medicine
Emotional exhaustion during times of unrest - Mayo Clinic Health System
